When we get some kind of pet at home, we must think about how to properly care for it. And this is especially true for food. Therefore, now we will talk about how to feed a hamster at home. After all, how long he will live, whether he will get sick will depend on this. Are you sure you know how vitamins and eating routines can affect a hamster? If not, you will find the answer below.

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Hamster diet: characteristics

Oddly enough, but hamsters are practically omnivores, and will gladly eat everything that you give them, but this does not mean that you can do this. Indeed, a number of prohibited foods that a hamster eats include fatty, sweet, fried and smoked foods. Because it can adversely affect his health and become almost fatal for the animal. The nutrition of hamsters must be properly designed, and consist only of fresh, natural products, and all because of the weak stomach of animals. The main food can be classified as cereals such as oats, wheat and buckwheat.

You can also give your pet cooked semolina, oatmeal in milk or water, but only without sugar and butter. Such nutrition is especially useful for young hamsters who have not even turned one and a half months old. Because they not only have weak stomachs, but also young teeth that are not able to gnaw on solid foods. In addition, do not forget about fresh herbs and vegetables, because the rodent loves them so much. Although such products should always be washed and dried.

Also, special attention should be paid to what hamsters eat in the winter season. Because during this period the animal may suffer from beriberi. And to prevent this from happening, it is recommended to germinate oats and wheat as often as possible. So it will be right for them, and for your peace of mind at the expense of their food.

What foods to give?

Undoubtedly, every owner of such an animal will face the question of how to feed a hamster, that is, which foods can be useful for him and which are not. As mentioned earlier, you can give almost all plant foods in their natural state. Be sure to give your hamster a little cereal daily in its natural form or cooked without additives and spices.

The next mandatory item in the diet are vegetables and fruits, especially apples, watermelon, beets, parsley and carrots. After all, it is with these products that the necessary moisture comes into the body of a rodent.

Also, many veterinarians recommend giving the animal dairy products in the form of cottage cheese, milk, yogurt and low-fat cheese. Although it is important to monitor the naturalness of these products.
It is important to pay attention to the nutrition of a pregnant hamster, and give her food in the form of a shell from chicken eggs from which it consumes all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Many owners of these babies buy specialized combined feeds that contain not only healthy foods, but also additional vitamins. Thus, you can save money, and the question of how to feed the hamster disappears by itself.

What vitamins are needed?

In addition to the standard diet of a hamster, you also need to take care of the presence of additional vitamins in it, because they do not always enter the body with food, but which he loves so much. And given that an animal can easily pick up a viral or infection, then such supplements are simply necessary. Sometimes hamster food has these trace elements, but sometimes you need to give them extra, moreover, every day.

The main groups of vitamins are A, E and D, but if they are based on oils, then you need to add them to water or dry food no more than once a week and only one drop, and not as much as you want. If we talk about fish oil, then it is also good to add it to food, but you can do this every day for 0.2 g.

You need to think about buying mineral tablets for your pet, which will not only benefit, but also sharpen your teeth. And then there will be no need to gnaw a cage or pieces of wood. You can also give the rodent a mineralized mixture or a vitamin complex, but this should only be done in a clearly designed dose. Although this is very difficult to find, and it all depends on the time of year, the needs of the hamster. Indeed, until now, few of the owners know how to feed a hamster, and what he especially likes to eat every day. Not to mention the mandatory amount of water.

Do not forget that vitamin complexes that are designed for people should not be given to a hamster, because it is contraindicated and can cause irreparable damage to his body. Indeed, in this case, you can encounter an overdose, which also often happens.

Water is a mandatory element in the hamster menu

In addition, in order to be interested in the question of what to feed a hamster, you need to think about the fact that his diet must include plenty of fluids. In addition to absorbing moisture from natural products, you can meet the needs of the animal through ordinary water, and constantly. It is necessary to change the water 1 time per day with washing the drinker. And all because the animal eats mostly dry food. Therefore, it is possible to facilitate the work of the stomach with the help of water.

Optionally, you can add vitamin C bought at the pharmacy. It is important that water is constantly in the diet, the plate or bottle for storing it is thoroughly cleaned, but without the use of chemical detergents. It is desirable that the water that you give your pet is the same that you drink yourself. Although it is better that it was not from the tap, but was cleaned from heavy metals and chlorine. Hamsters love to drink often, so do not deny them their desires.

Hamster Feeding Mode

Due to the fact that this animal loves to sleep, especially during the daytime, the diet and regimen are adjusted precisely to such a biorhythm. And feeding can be carried out once or twice a day. In this case, you yourself can decide how the mode will be compiled. For example, in the morning you can give him cereals and heavier food, and in the evening give herbs and vegetables. By the evening, prepare some other treat for him, but only from the list of recommended products.

A separate topic can be considered what hamsters that bear offspring eat. Because for them a separate diet is drawn up, including a lot of water. Most often, their feeding occurs more than three times a day, but evenly distributed over the load. They should also receive more vitamins and nutrients, drink more water than in a normal situation.

Be aware that a hamster may start gaining quickly. excess weight and it is considered a bad sign. In this situation, you need not only to exclude from the diet a large number of feed in the form of cereals, but also add more water there for the day, as well as physical activity, which is undoubtedly correct. It's hard to say how long this will last, but it happens often. It is not bad to put different ladders or a wheel in the cage.

If we turn to the opinion of foreign experts, they believe that the diet, regimen and water supply should be designed in such a way that the animal eats about five times a day, but in small portions. So that the hamster can eat everything at once and leave nothing behind. And that is exactly what is right.

It is necessary to take into account all the most important elements of feeding the animal, which include: regimen, water, vitamins and basic food. Only by paying attention to each of these points, you can make the life of the animal full, happy and healthy.

Photo gallery

Video "Care and maintenance of hamsters"

In the video below you will see how to properly care for hamsters, and what diet is optimal for them.

The nutrition of the Syrian hamster must be individually selected and balanced. Consideration should be given to the state of health, age and pet preferences.

The basis of hamster nutrition at home are balanced grain mixtures, which are sold at any pet store. It is recommended to give a tablespoon of prepared food in the morning and evening.

From grain crops, wheat, including germinated, buckwheat, oats, is perfect. Grain feed can sometimes be replaced with wheat bread. It is useful for pregnant females to give grain porridge.

From legumes, hamsters are given boiled peas, beans.

Animals love crunchy food. Dried corn, pumpkin seeds, dried carrot slices are suitable. Every day, fresh fruits and vegetables should be included in the hamster's diet: carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, apples, etc. It is best to give them in the evening, as hamsters will not mind eating at night and the food will not have time to deteriorate.

Hamsters need protein supplements several times a week. It can be either low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, or well-cooked chicken or fish (low-fat!). The pet will not refuse a boiled egg. Some owners offer mealworm hamsters as a protein supplement.

Periodically, the animal must be fed with fresh herbs. Homa will be happy to eat dandelion leaves and roots, clover, plantain. In winter, you can purchase trays with a mixture of herbs for rodents and germinate the greens yourself.

The cage must contain a mineral stone. The hamster will sharpen its teeth (as in wild nature) and at the same time receive useful substances.

It is important that the animal constantly has pure water in a drinker. It is not recommended to put bowls of water in the cage: a frisky animal will constantly overturn it, and the water can simply evaporate. It is best to purchase an automatic drinker.

The diet of the Syrian hamster should be balanced and varied. Otherwise, allergic reactions may occur.

The animal is fed twice a day in the morning and in the evening. It is advisable to put enough food in the bowl so that there is little left for the next day. Spoiled products are removed from the cage.

Small hamsters, like small children, eat often, but little by little. An animal aged 1 to 3 months needs special nutrition.

First, the baby should always have a bowl of dry food. He decides how much and what to eat. Perhaps not all the pieces will be to his taste.

Secondly, it is better to offer a hamster any one product per day from wet food, otherwise the animal may begin to have an upset stomach.

Thirdly, it is undesirable to “spoil” a small hamster with goodies, such as watermelon, strawberries, etc. ? wait until he grows up.

From green fodder, you can offer a leaf fresh lettuce, sprouts of beans, peas, wheat. Sprouts contain many vitamins and microelements useful for hamsters, they are tender, tasty, nutritious, and little hamsters really like them.

Adult hamster food

An adult hamster needs a varied diet, as the animals are very sensitive to a lack of vitamins. The basis of the diet should consist of a mixture of grains (millet, corn, oats). Additional, but no less important products are vegetables and fruits, protein feed, plants. It should be noted that Syrian hamsters prefer only fresh and lush vegetation - they use dry vegetation as a building material for the nest.

An adult hamster can also be offered dryers, pasta, and various berries. The pet will not refuse to try “by the tooth” branches of deciduous trees: birch, apple trees, walnut.

Any food must be fresh. Spoiled food can make your pet sick. Don't forget clean drinking water room temperature. There is no need to worry if the hamster drinks little water: the pet receives part of the liquid from vegetables and fruits.

Often a problem for older hamsters is overweight. To avoid this, it is recommended to install running wheels in the cage.

With a properly selected diet, digestion problems in a hamster usually do not occur, but if the animal has diarrhea or constipation, the diet should be reviewed. With constipation, you can give a little sunflower oil, with loose stools? rice porridge boiled until sticky.

Feeding older hamsters

Closer to two years, the hamster can notice signs of aging: he is no longer so active, his teeth grind down, and he eats less. The diet should be changed. Solid food for a hamster can be ground, and vegetables can be wiped. To feed an elderly hamster, children's dairy-free cereals and mashed potatoes are suitable. You can add special vitamins to food.

Protein top dressing should be given once a week, if necessary, pre-chopping. In no case should the grain component be excluded from the diet. This food is essential for proper digestion.

Feeding sick and weakened animals

You can feed and drink a sick hamster with a syringe without a needle. The feed must be ground and mixed with hot water (or mashed vegetables) to a puree-like consistency. It is better if the food is warm. You can give baby cereals and mashed potatoes. It is convenient to add medicines and vitamins to them. A sick hamster is given a warm decoction of chamomile. This must be done carefully so that the hamster does not choke.

What to feed a pregnant female

Pregnancy in Syrian hamsters lasts 17-20 days. At this time, the volume of regular feed increases slightly. So that the pregnant female does not worry about the lack of supplies, dry food should be poured a little more than usual. The diet must necessarily include enough greens, germinated cereals. It is also necessary to increase the amount of protein foods. A piece of chalk and a piece of coal are placed in the female's cage; you can also put a tablet of phytin or calcium gluconate.

Syrian hamster diet

The diet of hamsters can be divided into 3 components: the base (dry food), wet food (vegetables, fruits) plus greens and protein supplements.

The basis of the diet includes:
1.Dry prepared food
2. Nuts (walnuts, cashews, peanuts)
3. Pumpkin or melon seeds
4. Groats (barley, buckwheat, wheat, corn, etc.)

5. Dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, dried bananas, apples, pears)

The second component includes:
1. Vegetables (pumpkin, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, zucchini, zucchini, etc.), short-boiled vegetables
2. Legumes (beans, including green beans, soaked chickpeas, young peas in pods)
3. Berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)

4. Fresh greens (Chinese cabbage, lettuce, dill, dandelion leaves, plantain, alfalfa, clover, nettle)

From protein food, the Syrian hamster is suitable for:
1. Boiled chicken (meat baby food without soy, sugar and salt is possible)
2. Low-fat cottage cheese, biofilin
3. Boiled egg
4. Low-fat boiled fish
5. Dried Gammarus
6. Flour, earthworms, butterflies, grasshoppers (purchased at pet stores)

What not to give a hamster

Some foods that seem to be safe for the animal can actually be harmful to its health. These include:

• Food for parrots and other rodents
• Potato
• Acorns, chestnuts
• Persimmon
• Brazilian nut

There is nothing difficult in feeding the Syrian hamster. Remember that proper nutrition of the animal is the key to its long and healthy life.

Inexperienced owners often wonder how many times a day a hamster should be fed. If everything is relatively clear with cats and dogs, then here we are talking about how to organize the food of a rodent prone to hiding places and supplies.

Healthy digestion is the basis of longevity for these animals, so attention should be paid not only to the composition of the diet, but also to the organization of the feeding regimen. Hamsters are nocturnal, and during the day they sleep almost all the time. This feature must be taken into account in order to decide how many times you can feed the hamster.

It's fun to watch the meal of the animal, but the best is a single evening feeding when the animal is active. Another acceptable option is feeding in the evening and early morning hours, before the daytime sleep of the animal. The evening portion should be significantly larger than the morning one.

Having decided on a schedule that is convenient for himself, it is better for the owner to stick to one feeding time. With amazing accuracy, the animal will wait for dinner at the appointed hour. This stability is beneficial for the rodent's digestion.

Due to the high metabolic rate, the hamster absolutely cannot stand a hunger strike. It is difficult to answer unequivocally how many times a day a hamster should eat.

Although the main meal occurs at night, the animals like to wake up during the day to have a snack. Therefore, access to feed should be almost around the clock.

When it comes to how often you need to feed your hamster, it's important not to overdo it. It is impossible to give food more than twice a day: this will disturb the sleep of the animal. Juicy and can spoil if the hamster doesn't eat it right away. For the same reason, stocks are regularly audited, removing spoiled products.

Amount of food

How much food a hamster needs per day depends on many factors:

• physical activity;
• age (young animals eat much more);
• physiological state (pregnancy, lactation);
• room temperature.

The average rodent eats per day the amount of food equal to 70% of body weight.

A Syrian hamster weighing 140-150 g should receive about 100 g.

Such accuracy of calculations is not used in practice, and the owner can only roughly say how much a hamster eats per day.

The Djungarian hamster or Campbell is so small that it seems to the owners: and they eat "at a glance".

It's a big mistake to overfeed your pet. Hamsters get fat easily.

From the outside it may look cute, but the animal itself is threatened with serious health problems and shortens life. If the jungarik has already received a tablespoon of dry food, and the feeder is instantly empty, you should not fill it again. The pet just hid the food in the cage.

Conclusion

The owner needs to think not only about how often to feed the hamster. For the health of the pet, they change water and food on time, prevent obesity and follow the recommendations regarding. It is better to think over the diet of the animal even before buying, in order to avoid health problems caused by a lack of information about the nutrition of hamsters.

How often should you feed your hamster

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Details Published: 04/22/2019 09:35

In the wild, hamsters live close to the edge of the desert, and their diet consists of those plants and insects that are typical for these places. Most often, the basis of the diet of a hamster in the wild is seeds, grains, cereals, as well as small insects. Hamsters, like humans, are omnivores, living on a mixed diet of vegetation and meat.

The diet of a hamster at home should be similar to the diet of their wild counterparts. An important rule: do not overfeed your hamster. The hamster's cheek pouches are still full, and he is still begging for new food. Hamsters do not always immediately eat the food that they hide in their cheeks, most often they still make supplies in their cage. Keep this in mind when feeding your pet.

How much food does a hamster need per day?

The Syrian hamster eats about 10 grams of dry food per day. The same rule applies to dwarf hamsters. You may be surprised, but it is. The reason is simple - the metabolism of dwarf hamsters is faster than that of Syrian hamsters. Therefore, they eat more relative to their size.

Never leave leftover food scattered in the cage, otherwise it may start to rot. Every time hamsters need to give fresh food, removing the remnants of the old. Remember to provide your pet with fresh drinking water daily. The hamster should not be given tap water to drink, as it contains a lot of chlorine. It is better to use filtered water or bottled water.

When is the best time to feed a hamster?

Opinions differ on this matter. There are adherents to feed the hamster only in the evening. This point of view is argued by the fact that in nature hamsters go fishing in the evening. But this happens mainly in order to protect itself from wild predators. They pick up food by their cheeks and eat it later.

The issue of protection from predators for pets is not worth it, so during the day they also come out of their hiding place to eat. Therefore, you should make sure that during the day the hamster will be able to find something to eat if he wants.

What to feed a hamster?

So we got to the question of how to feed a hamster. The easiest option is food from pet stores. Give preference to the feed of European brands. Choose food that looks more natural. Foods with lots of colorful granules tend to be full of additives. Such food is convenient, a good manufacturer has already thought about how to balance your pet's diet well.

Hamsters are very fond of fruits and vegetables, but will be careful with the amount. Hamsters are small animals and large amounts of such foods can cause diarrhea. A small piece of apple, cucumber or carrot will be enough for them.

Also, your pet will be delighted with cauliflower, broccoli, chicory, peach or banana. Do not give hamsters citrus fruits and onions.

If you want to treat your hamster, you can give a little hard-boiled egg once a week, as well as mealworms. This is an excellent source of protein.

As you can see, making a diet for a hamster is quite simple. But it is worth remembering one more rule - never give your hamster anything sticky and spicy. Since it can get stuck inside and damage the cheek pouches.

Take care of proper nutrition your furry friend and pet will be a very happy animal!

Dr. Elliot, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal care. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. Works at the same animal clinic in his hometown over 20 years.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Hamsters are cute, cute and playful animals. If you want to get a hamster, know that you will have to take care of proper nutrition. This can be quite a challenge, as your hamster's diet needs to be varied and have enough nutrients. You also shouldn't change your hamster's diet too often.

Steps

Part 1

Get the right food

Buy hamster food from the pet store. Most of the diet should be food for hamsters. It can be granulated or in the form of a mixture of seeds and completely allows you to provide the animal with all the necessary nutrients.

Supplement your hamster's diet with fresh foods. Give your hamster a small piece of fruit, vegetable, or protein every day or every other day. The size of the piece should not be larger than a couple of raisins. Hamsters are not accustomed to consuming large amounts of water, so a larger piece can cause them diarrhea. Leftover food can also rot and contaminate the cage.

Give your hamster hard treats. It is very important to feed your hamster a solid treat about once a week. They are needed to keep your hamster's teeth in good condition, as well as a source of additional nutrients and simply as a change in diet.

• At the pet store, you can buy treats that will hang from the top of the cage. This will force the hamster to work hard to get food, and besides, it will be like a game for him.
• Mineral blocks are also suitable for maintaining good dental health and supplying essential nutrients.

1. Know what food should not be given to hamsters. Do not feed your hamster beans, onions, potatoes, rhubarb and tomato leaves. Junk food, chocolate, alcohol and candy are also bad for your hamster.

   Buy a water bottle. A hamster can turn over a saucer of water, and then the cage will have to be washed out. At the pet store, you can buy a bottle that will hang from the cage. Fill it up regularly with bottled water.

   • Remember to clean your bottle at least once a week.

2. Keep your hand in the cage while feeding. This is a good way to bond with your hamster and create positive associations with him. When you feed the hamster with one hand, you can stroke or hold it with the other. Gradually, the hamster will begin to get used to you.

   Keep track of your hamster's weight. Because of the skin, it is difficult to tell if the hamster has gained weight. A Syrian hamster should weigh approximately 11 grams per 1 centimeter of length. Also, if your hamster has become slow and lethargic, you may need to reduce his diet.

• Do not overfeed your hamster - this approach can lead to obesity or diabetes.
• Clean your hamster's cage once a week. This ensures that mold doesn't start growing there due to the presence of hidden (and forgotten) food that the hamster leaves in the cage.
• Remember to change food and water daily to keep your hamster healthy and happy.
• If the hamster is small, clean the cage every two weeks.
• Buy food in granules, not in the form of a mixture, so that the animal eats a balanced diet, and does not choose from the mixture what he likes.